Improvement in boot and shoe fastenings



H. E. BENNETT;

Boot and Shoe Fastening Patented Sept. 21,1875.

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Wzzzessea: 772% 5% PETERS. PHOTO-LITNOGRAPHER WASHINGTON, D, C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIGE.

HERBERT E. BENNETT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOT AND SHOE FASTENINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 167,829, datedSeptember 21, 1875 application filed make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of devices used for the purpose ofretaining a shoe or boot in close contact with the foot and ankle of thewearer, in which a series of pulleys on each side of the slit receivesthe. lacing-cord I and it consists in the details of construction aswill be hereinafter fully set forth and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a boot provided withfastenings having anti-friction rollers. Fig. 2 is a plan view of thefastening and of the T-shaped plate. Fig. 3 shows a section through oneof the fastenings and the boot, illustrating the method of securing themtogether. Fig. 4 represents the hold-fast or clasp for holding thestring after the boot is laced up.

The boot or shoe may be of any desired form, and requires no specialconstruction in order to fit it for the reception of the fastenings,which are composed of a T-shaped piece of metal, 12, provided with holes0 near each extremity of the cross, by means of which it is secured tothe shoe by sewing, the thread used passing through these holes andthrough the material composing the upper of the shoe. Other holes d ande are formed in the piece I), through which pass the rivets 70 l, whichassist in securing it to the boot and connect it with the cap g, whichserves, in connection with the rivet k,.to keep the small sheave f inplace, and also prevents the shoe-lacing which passes around the sheavefrom becoming displaced.

The method of attaching the device to the shoe will be more clearlyunderstood from an inspection of Fig. 3 of the drawing,-which shows asection of the device and of the shoe May -6, 1875.

or boot to which it is attached upon an enlarged scale.

It willbe seen that the rivets k and 1, connecting the plates 1) and 9,pass entirely through the washers m it upon the inside, thus securelyholding the partstogether, while, as an additional security, theplates 1) are sewed fast to the shoe, as heretofore described. Thismethod of securing the device causes the two rigid fastenings, which arethe rivets, to be in line with each other, so that they do not preventthe bending of the boot to accommodate itself to the movements of thefoot and ankle of th wearer.

The hold-fast or clasp a is formed of a continuous piece of wire, bentto the peculiar form shown in Fig. 4, having an enlarged portion,'o,through which the string slides freely,

and a narrowed extremity, 1), into which the string may be drawn when itis desired to hold it at any particular point. The ends of the wire ofwhich this hold-fast is constructed are brought together, twisted, andthen flattened, the extreme ends projecting diagonally and affording aready means of attachment to the shoe or boot.

These hold-fasts may be made from sheet metal in the same manner, withthe ends twisted, but the method of construction above described ispreferable, as it leaves no sharp edges to cut the strings.

The operation of these devices will be understood from an inspection ofFig. 1, in which it will be seen that one end of the shoe-string isattached to the boot at h, and passes thence through the alternatingfastenings until it reaches and passes through the hold-fast a. It willnow be apparent that if the string is allowed to slide through the largepart of the hold-fast, the shoe or boot may be opened to its greatestextent by a slight pull upon the opposite parts, as the string rendersfreely around the sheaves and through the fastenings; but when it isdesired to tighten the lacing itis simply necessary to give the string apull, when all the parts will come into as close juxtaposition as thefoot and ankle of the wearer will allow. A slight pull to one sidecatches the string in the holdfast, and the operation is completed.

I am awarethat many devices have been used for the purpose ofaccomplishing the object aimed at in this invention. I do not,therefore, claim the use of a sheave for the purpose of reducing thefriction upon a bootlacing, or a clasp for holding it when laced up, butthe peculiar construction and arrangement of devices as will behereafter stated.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The improvement in shoe-fastenin gs hereindescribed, consisting of the plate b, cap g, sheave f, and rivets k andI, combined and arranged as shown, and attached to the shoe by sewingand the rivets, in the manner described.

2. A clasp for shoe-laces, composed of a continuous piece of wire, bentto form the enlargement 0 and the narrow portion p, and having its endsbrought together and twisted to afford means for its attachment to aboot or shoe, substantially as and for the purpose specified. i

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto affix my signaturethis 30th day of April, 1875, in the presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT E. ETT.

Witnesses:

SAML. W. CLIFFORD, J r., CHAS. W. BARTLETT.

